Audit of X-Ray Requisition form at Tamale Central Hospital, Ghana - Abstract
Aim: To assess the extent to which x-ray request forms referred to the x-ray unit of the Tamale Central Hospital are filled by referring practitioners.
Methods: 189 x-ray request forms were audited. The research was conducted between October 2017 and December 2017. Each request form was thoroughly assessed for completeness or adequate filling of information provided by referring practitioners. The components of information on the form included: patient demographic data, brief clinical history, date of requested examination, investigation required, x-ray serial numbers, and referring practitioner details (see appendix 1). The data was processed and analyzed with Microsoft excel 2013. The result is summarized in Table 1. The study received approval from the hospital’s regional health directorate, and patient anonymity was ensured.
Results: The x-ray serial number and previous serial number/ previous exams details fields in the request form were not filled at all in 100%. Also, 97% of referring practitioners did not fill-in their station/address.
Significant number of the forms (31% and 39%) did not have the ages and wards of patients completed respectively.
Furthermore, other fields were partly completed; brief clinical history 143 (76%), referring practitioner name 163 (86%), date of requested investigation 172 (91%), radiological investigation requested 186 (98%), patient’s name 188 (1%).
Conclusion: Practitioners who refer patients for x-ray at the Tamale Central Hospital do not thoroughly complete the request form. This emphasizes a need for the radiographers who review the x-ray request forms to engage the referrers in regular education to improve or change the habit. Aside, some fields of the request form may require update and revision.